Town History

When was the “Mothman” first spotted? Here’s what we know about the monster’s history

By: Jessica Booth | Posted: January 22, 2018 at 12:28 p.m. | Source: Hello Giggles

It seems like things are getting pretty spooky in Chicago, Illinois. This past week, Vice reported that over 55 people have claimed to see the Mothman, a mysterious, giant bird-like creature lurking in the sky. Even spookier? This definitely isn’t the first time the monster has been spotted. In fact, the origins of this creepy urban legend go back about 50 years.

The myth of the Mothman has been around since the 1960s and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. The creature recently resurfaced in Chicago, where residents have described seeing something large, “bat-like,” and similar to “a big owl.” One witness described the creature as having “muscular legs, a jutting tailbone, and a human-like shape.” Although this description has varied slightly over the years, the basics have remained pretty consistent: the creature seems to be some sort of bird-like humanoid with glowing eyes.

But how did the Mothman come about?

Mothman was first spotted in a cemetery near Clendenin, West Virginia on November 12th, 1966. According to legend, five men were digging a grave when they saw a human-like figure flying low over the trees. This became the first known sighting of the creature, and many more followed.

A few days later, on November 15th, 1966, the second known sighting happened. Two couples were driving past a TNT plant when they reported seeing a large creature with a huge wingspan and red eyes swooping down near their car. They claimed the creature followed them to Point Pleasant in West Virginia before disappearing, and then they went to the police.

From then on, Mothman became a terrifying legend linked to bad luck. When the story got picked up nationally, it gained even more traction. John Keel wrote the book The Mothman Prophecies in 1975, and in 2002, it was made into a movie.

Considering the first sightings were reported in West Virginia, it’s pretty scary that so many people have spotted the Mothman all the way over in Chicago. This has led some to suspect that there is more than one Mothman creature. Lon Strickler, a paranormal researcher who monitors the whereabouts of the monster on his website, PhantomsAndMonsters.com, is one of those people. He told Vice that he believes all the different reports point to at least three Mothman creatures out there in the world.

You might not believe in the Mothman, but admit it: it’s kind of crazy that people from today would spot something extremely similar to what was seen about 50 years ago. Sure, it could just be another urban legend, but this one is definitely worth looking into more.

January 22, 2018 in Did You Know?, Town History

George Clendenin Founder of Charleston

(via: The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of West Virginia)

In 1917 the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of West Virginia established a marker to pay tribute to the pioneer Clendenin family of Charleston, West Virginia.  Charles Clendenin, his sons, and the Virginia Rangers built Fort Clendenin in 1788, a frontier outpost that protected settlers from Indian attacks.  The Clendenin Fort was officially called Fort Lee in honor of Henry “Lighthourse” Lee, governor of Virginia and father of Robert E. Lee.

The Sundial marker and commemorative plaque were placed along the Kanawha River in the 1200 block.  This monument was the first of seven Colonial Dames’ monuments paying tribute to the patriots who risked their lives to settle the land in western Virginia.  The sundial is on a marble pedestal surrounded by a black wrought-iron fence.  A bronze plaque at the site reads: Erected in 1917/ By the Colonial Dames of West Virginia/In Memory of Charles Clendendin /For Whom Charleston Was Named/December 1794. (more…)

December 29, 2017 in Town History